Re: Hunky-dory

: : What is the derivation of the expression "Every thing is hunky
dory".

: Probably the most oft-heard story about "hunky-dory" holds that
there was, in the 19th century, a street in Yokohama, Japan, called
"Honcho-dori." It is said that Honcho-dori was the Times Square
of Yokohama, and thus a favorite hangout of U.S. sailors on shore
leave. So popular did this street become among sailors, it is said,
that "Honcho-dori" entered naval slang as "hunky-dory," a synonym
for "Easy Street," or a state of well-being and comfort.
: Now, there actually is a "Honcho-dori" in Yokohama. (In fact,
there's one in many Japanese cities, because "Honcho-dori" translates
roughly as "Main Street.") But there are two problems with this
story. One is that there is no direct evidence of any connection
between the first appearance of "hunky-dory" around 1866 and U.S.
sailors in Japan or naval slang in general.
: Problem number two is that a connection with "Honcho-dori" is
somewhat unnecessary. English already had the archaic American slang
word "hunk," meaning "safe," from the Dutch word "honk," meaning
"goal," or "home" in a game. To achieve "hunk" or "hunky" in a child's
game was to make it "home" and win the game. So "hunky" already
meant "O.K."
: Where the "dory" came from is more of a mystery. It may have arisen
as what linguists call "reduplication," or the emphatic, joking
repetition of parts of a word, as in "okey-dokey." Or the "dory"
may actually be a reference to the Japanese "Honcho-dori" grafted
on after "hunky" was already in use as slang. There is some evidence
that a Japanese stage performer popular in the U.S. claimed to have
introduced "hunky-dory" around 1865. What he actually may have done
is blend the name of a Japanese street with our American "hunky."

The "Morris Dictionary of Word and Phrase Origins" has similar
theories concerning the Japanese street and the Dutch word meaning
"goal." "...But there's another theory, that the whole thing started
with a song sung by the Christy Minstrels during the Civil War.
It was called 'Josephus Orange Blossom' and contained a line about
'red-hot hunky-dory contraband.' The song was a great hit and hunky-dory
became part of the popular slang of the period. Now this was, as
we said, during our (U.S.) Civil War. Since Japan was not opened
to foreign ships until Commodore Perry's visit in 1854, it seems
a bit doubtful that the Yokohama theory will hold water though that
remains a possibility. Our guess, though, is that hunky-dory was
already an established slang term when American sailors first had
shore leave on Huncho-dori Street..."